


five dates to find true love

by mymoonbby



Category: GOT7
Genre: 5+1 Things, 5+1 dates, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, bambam is oblivious, i may have made jb a bit of an asshole, im sorry i love him, jaebum wants to die
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 12:22:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17960426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mymoonbby/pseuds/mymoonbby
Summary: “so,” bambam puffed out his chest, deciding there and then he was going to be the better person and do what would be best for his dearest roommate. “i’m going to get you a boyfriend!”jaebum wrinkled his nose. “you’re not.”“i am!” bambam insisted, practically clambering onto jaebum by now. “i’ll set you up on blind dates! you’ll find the one just for you! then you’ll stop being so lonely!”





	five dates to find true love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tremmy_chii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tremmy_chii/gifts).



over the past week, bambam had found jaebum camped in front of their television with a tub of ice cream in hand a grand total of four times.

 

which was a lot, if you couldn’t tell.

 

and it was sad, because three out of those four he’d had been bawling his eyes out over some sappy romance movie.

 

“you’re fucking pathetic, hyung,” bambam had admonished his roommate, flopping down on the sofa next to him after he’d caught him for the fourth time. “and you’re getting fat,” he added, plucking the tub of ben and jerry’s out of jaebum’s hands.

 

“am not,” jaebum hiccuped, feebly reaching for the ice cream and failing. “i just have nothing to do. you wouldn’t understand, you’re always ditching me for parties.”

 

“which i invited you for, dumbass!” bambam exclaimed, punching jaebum in the arm. “you’re just too much of a loser to say yes.”

 

“am not!” jaebum insisted.

 

“you know what you are, hyung?” bambam challenged, leaning in closer to jaebum. “alone. and sad.”

 

jaebum sniffled and glared at bambam.

 

“so,” bambam puffed out his chest, deciding there and then he was going to be the better person and do what would be best for his dearest roommate. “i’m going to get you a boyfriend!”

 

jaebum wrinkled his nose. “you’re not.”

 

“i am!” bambam insisted, practically clambering onto jaebum by now. “i’ll set you up on blind dates! you’ll find the one just for you! then you’ll stop being so lonely!”

 

“no.”

 

“please, hyung?” he pleaded. “you’re bound to like one of them, i swear!”

 

“i said no.”

 

“please?” bambam dragged out the word in a whine, blinking his big doe eyes at jaebum. “just five dates? i swear, hyung, you’ll find him in five dates. and if you don’t, then no more!”

 

there was a pregnant pause, and bambam didn’t dare to breathe. and then—

 

“fine.”

 

“yes!” bambam squealed, rolling off jaebum and pushing himself off the sofa. “thank you hyung, i swear i’ll set you up with only the best people i know!”

 

“you’ve got five dates,” jaebum grumbled in response, beginning to sweep up all the tissues littered on the sofa.

 

bambam grinned.

 

“of course hyung. five dates to find you true love.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

_date_ _one_

 

bambam and jaebum had been roommates for exactly three years and seven months. they owned a cozy apartment a little distance from the university they attended, and did everything roomies were supposed to do with each other. like have pillow fights, and watch movies together, and study together, and paint each other’s nails, and—

 

there’s a lot more on that list. bambam compiled it based on what hollywood told him, and spent months on it, too.

 

but bambam digresses. the point is, he knows jaebum like he knows his anime. which is really well.

 

so for date number one, he picked jaebum’s ideal type—demure, petite, yet still feisty and energetic.

 

this package came in the form of an american boy named mark tuan, just one year older than jaebum. he had the prettiest eyes and the poutiest lips, so jaebum was sure to fall head over heels in love at first sight.

 

yeah, bambam’s totally got this in the bag.

 

—

 

jaebum, quite literally, had absolutely nothing in the bag.

 

in fact, he didn’t even have a bag at all. he’d sprinted out of the house twenty minutes ago after receiving a text from an unknown number at exactly 6.42pm saying “hey, this is mark. i got your number from bambam. can’t wait for our date at 7.”

 

come to think of it, he barely knew anything about this mark guy, either. all bambam said was he a year older than jaebum, he worked at a children’s hospital and he was super freaking cute.

 

he also apparently doesn’t use emojis while texting, which—really?

 

so there jaebum was, heart racing and nerves alight, flying into the restaurant a whole ten minutes late. his grand entrance made it almost impossible to not spot him, so a willowy young man with the cutest smile jaebum had ever seen in his life was quick to wave him over.

 

“hi, mark, right?” jaebum panted, extending a hand across the table as he took his seat opposite the man.

 

“yeah. it’s nice to meet you, jaebum,” mark replied, firmly grasping jaebum’s hand, smile wide as ever.

 

and honestly? jaebum was floored. he had to give credit to bambam—mark certainly was his type. he had a small face, luscious mop of hair, and the most gorgeous set of pearly whites jaebum had ever seen. his canines seemed a tad sharper than most people’s, and he looked as if he’d jumped straight out of a young adult vampire romance story.

 

still.

 

“i’m sorry i’m late,” jaebum put on his best pouty, apologetic face, retracting his hand. “i was stuck in traffic,” he continued, lying smoothly.

 

“it’s okay,” mark said sweetly. “you can just say you forgot.”

 

jaebum choked.

 

“i-i didn’t forget,” jaebum insisted, feeling his face burn.

 

“sure,” mark chuckled, flipping open the menu. “ i’m sure traffic was terrible.”

 

the next few minutes are spent in painful silence, with jaebum desperately willing his hands to stop trembling and mark leisurely perusing the menu, seemingly unaware of how tense jaebum was. it was awkward, and jaebum just wanted to die.

 

“have you picked what you wanted to eat yet?” mark asked politely.

 

frankly, jaebum hadn’t. he hadn’t even spared a glance at the menu, too busy glaring holes into the table and gnawing on his lip, wondering what on earth he had ever done to bambam for the latter to set him up on a date with the most patronising guy he’d ever met.

 

but he’d embarrassed himself enough tonight, hadn’t he?

 

“i have,” jaebum chose to reply confidently, flipping to a random page of the menu and pointing to a random dish. “i want this.”

 

“...chocolate lava cake?”

 

obviously not.

 

“i-i’m not hungry,” jaebum grasped for words, head held high because he couldn’t lose whatever shred of pride he had left, even if he was absolutely starving and kind of wanted a three course meal instead.

 

“okay then,” mark shrugged, eyeing jaebum one last time before snapping the menu shut and signalling for the waitress.

 

jaebum sighed, and hoped his first date couldn’t get any worse.

 

—

 

**me** : jaebum’s a fuckin riot

 

**bamsssss** : what

 

**me** : he is. hilarious.

 

**bamsssss** : we talking about the same jb hyung or??????

 

**me** : ya the one u set me up with

 

**bamsssss** : r u forreal

 

**me** : he’s so stupid. like stupidly funny. he ate lava cake for dinner bc he made a mistake and had too much pride to admit it

 

**me** : long story

 

**bamsssss** : lmao

 

**bamsssss** : sounds like him

 

mark’s roommate jumped off the couch—where he’d sprawled out for his post-dinner nap—in fright when mark let out a howl of laughter, nearly throwing his phone across the room.

 

“are you crazy?” his roommate demanded, immediately making a beeline straight for his room and slamming the door before he could even answer.

 

“you know i am, bitch,” mark still chose to yell, and dissolved into another fit of giggles.

 

he wasn’t trying to make fun of jaebum at all during dinner, he swore, but it was just so easy. jaebum was practically a bundle of nerves, always jittery, always tense. mark supposed it all began when he forgot about their date (he’s been on enough dates to tell when someone really got stuck in traffic) and all went downhill from there, but it only made jaebum that much easier of a target.

 

“it’s fine,” mark had assured after jaebum offered to pay for the meal, only to realise he’d forgotten to bring his wallet. “you’re still a big, strong gentleman in my eyes.”

 

and, mark really promised, he tried to stop himself! he honestly did! but the way jaebum seemed to completely tense up and burn bright red after that comment—priceless!

 

so yeah, maybe their date was a complete fail. maybe mark wouldn’t want a second one with jaebum. but it didn’t mean mark didn’t want to stay in touch with the man.

 

he picked up his phone again.

 

**me** : thanks for the date, mr gentleman. sweet dreams ;3

 

 

* * *

 

 

_date_ _two_

 

if mark had been telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, then bambam was right to say that the first date he had set jaebum up on was an utter disaster.

 

you know, because jaebum was an utter disaster.

 

“you’re a dumbass, hyung,” bambam had said as he threw a pillow into jaebum’s face as soon as he’d reached home. “can’t you act like a decent human being in front of your perfectly nice date?”

 

“no,” jaebum had sulked, then slammed the door to his room.

 

so setting him up with his “ideal type” had been a complete bust. but bambam’s read enough romance novels to know that opposites attract. and he has just the guy.

 

jaebum’s a broody, sexy young man, with a back as broad as the amazon river and facial features chiselled to the gods.

 

choi youngjae, on the other had, was an adorable plushy boy with a smile as radiant as a thousand suns.

 

this would definitely work out. hopefully.

 

—

 

jaebum wished people would understand that just because he loved music, and he loved singing, it did not necessarily mean he enjoyed theatre.

 

people meaning bambam.

 

and yet somehow that adorable little idiot had set him up on a date with a man who also loved music in a theatre, watching some arbitrary musical that was in town.

 

jaebum had walked into the theatre knowing absolutely nothing about the musical he was about to watch, and his expectations were nonexistent. he’d shown up exactly when the musical was due to begin, so his date and himself could only exchange hasty introductions before they had to enter the theatre.

 

and jaebum would admit, youngjae was cute. like, really cute. cuter than most guys jaebum knew.

 

but really, that’s where it all ended.

 

youngjae was amusingly animated throughout the musical, laughing hysterically when the character did something particularly stupid and sniffling when something sad happened. he seemed so invested in the show, and was almost better entertainment than the musical itself.

 

by the time the show was over, jaebum knew a lot of things about youngjae. he knew that youngjae had the prettiest eye-smile he had ever seen. he knew that youngjae had a tendency to throw back his head when he laughed. he knew that youngjae cried really easily.

 

and yet, he didn’t know youngjae at all.

 

but he wanted to try. he wanted to at least build some sort of connection between him and the man he’d spent a couple of hours with in the theatre. then, at least, he could tell his stupidly endearing roommate that he tried.

 

as he walked out of the theatre with youngjae, the latter turned to smile sweetly at him. “that musical was very funny, jaebum hyung,” he said, and jaebum felt more like an estranged relative than a date.

 

“it was, uh, nice.”

 

youngjae hummed and nodded, gaze flickering downwards. “so...”

 

“so.”

 

“i should be going, i guess?” youngjae muttered bashfully, tucking a strand of his (somehow sexy) long hair behind his ear. “it’s getting late.”

 

“wait,” jaebum blurted, because he couldn’t go, not yet. “would you like to go get some coffee?”

 

youngjae perked up. “now?”

 

“yeah, unless you have something on?”

 

“oh, no!” youngjae seemed to brighten up considerably. “i have nothing! let’s go!”

 

they set off to a nearby coffeeshop recommended by youngjae that’s open 24 hours, just a few blocks down. youngjae was bouncing as they walk, excitedly sharing how he’d gotten to know about the the cozy place (the coffeeshop was literally called the cozy place). he was just a ball of energy, genuinely thrilled for something as simple as coffee, and jaebum’s stone cold heart might have melted just a little.

 

“bambam tells me you’re a music major?” jaebum asked, trying to initiate a conversation.

 

“i am,” youngjae nodded. “and you’re a film major?”

 

“yeah.”

 

and then they’re thrust back into near silence again, the only thing breaking it being youngjae’s gentle humming. jaebum told himself it’s because he didn’t want to interrupt.

 

“we’re here!” youngjae announced as they approached a nondescript coffeeshop. “you should try their macchiatos, jaebum hyung, they’re the best!”

 

“i will, then,” jaebum agreed, stepping into the cafe and holding the door open for youngjae. he turns behind to look at the latter as he walks in as well. “is there anything good to eat as well? i’m star—“

 

“oh!”

 

jaebum heard the gasp before he felt the impact. he whipped around just as a man slammed right into him, and his coffee cup tilted little by little, all in slow motion, until the liquid splashed all over him.

 

“oh my god!” the man who bumped into him exclaimed. “i’m so sorry!”

 

“it’s fine!” jaebum reassured, looking up at the stranger. “i’m—

 

no way. no freaking way.

 

—mark?!”

 

—

 

when youngjae heard from bambam that jaebum loved music too, he couldn’t help but let out a screech of excitement.

 

it was hard to find people outside of his major who loved the same things he did, and it was a bonus that jaebum had (and he quoted) “voice as smooth as honey.”

 

seal it all off with a date to the theatre? youngjae was pretty much sold.

 

he walked into the theatre with high hopes, a massive bundle of jitters, excited to meet who he hoped was the man of his dreams.

 

and he hated that he had to say this now, because youngjae was always one to think highly of people, but jaebum was a little disappointing.

 

he’d shown up to the theatre in a sweater with snoop dogg’s face plastered over it, the baggiest pair of pants possibly known to mankind, and a beanie pulled almost over his eyes. he’d strolled into the theatre as the doors were announced to be closed, and they barely had a chance to say hi before they had to scurry into the theatre.

 

youngjae had invested himself completely into the musical, cackling particularly hard at a joke that wasn’t even funny and shedding tears when one of the characters got lost in the woods. after all, he had to make up for the lack of energy from his date, who looked two seconds away from pulling his beanie over his face and falling asleep.

 

so imagine youngjae’s elation when jaebum offered to go get coffee, and even though youngjae was actually planning to sleep that night those plans completely flew out the window. who needed sleep when a cute boy was asking you for coffee after a musical?

 

and yet, somehow, jaebum the clumsy fool had managed to slam straight into someone as soon as he’d walked into the cafe and gotten drenched in coffee.

 

the absolute tragedy came to an even more tear-jerking end as jaebum, face flaming, declared their lacklustre date over and fled the scene. which led youngjae to where he currently was, alone in a coffeeshop, nursing a hot cup of chocolate.

 

bambam was pretty much wrong about jaebum. he wasn’t some “chic and sexy beast,” neither did he have “the voice of an angel.” at best, he was simply a man nervous for his blind date with a stranger. 

 

but there was more than that, wasn’t there?

 

perhaps—

 

“hey there. is this seat taken?”

 

youngjae nearly jumped out of his seat as a man approached him.

 

wait, not just any man. the same man that spilled coffee on jaebum.

 

“uh,” youngjae blinked. “it’s not.”

 

“great,” the other man beamed and pulled out the chair opposite him to sit on. “you seemed lonely.”

 

“well, my date’s gone, so,” youngjae chuckled dryly.

 

“i could tell,” the other man snorted, resting his head on his palm and gazing straight into youngjae’s eyes.

 

and for the first time, youngjae was realising just how attractive this man was. his hair seemed soft, so unbelievably soft, falling into his eyes in an effortless manner. his eyes, despite the dim lighting of the coffeeshop, seemed to glow a warm honey brown. and when he smiled, he showcased a set of adorable, canine-like teeth that reminded him of a puppy.

 

suddenly, it was as if he hadn’t just been on a date with another man.

 

youngjae giggled, and mimicked the man’s pose. “well, it’s nice to meet you. i’m youngjae.”

 

“i’m mark,” the man introduced, and youngjae dimly remembered jaebum yelling that name when he spilled the coffee. “how was your date, youngjae?”

 

youngjae sighed. “honestly? really disappointing. bam—i mean my friend who set me up, he made jaebum sound like the most perfect man ever. except he showed up in this stupid snoop dogg sweater, and barely batted an eyelid at the musical, and hejust seemed so...uninterested in me.”

 

mark let out a bark of laughter.

 

“you were set up by bam too, huh?”

 

youngjae’s eyebrows shot up. “how did you know?”

 

“he set me up with jaebum last week too,” mark sniggered. “except the date went about the same as yours. he was late, awkward, and just totally uninterested.”

 

“oh.”

 

“but, uh,” mark continued, demeanour shifting ever so slightly to a shyer one. “you seem like you wouldn’t do that to a date.”

 

“oh,” youngjae repeated, gaze dropping downwards as he absently brushed his hair out of his eyes. “of course not. my date deserves better than that.”

 

“i wouldn’t do that to a date either, you know.”

 

“yeah?” youngjae breathed, hope seeping into his voice.

 

“yeah.” mark echoed. “and i can absolutely prove it. let me take you out on a date, right here, at this coffeeshop.”

 

youngjae couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. “yeah, okay, it’s a date then.”

 

and as youngjae thought back to what mark had said about jaebum being late, awkward, and totally uninterested, he realised something.

 

jaebum could have been a man nervous for his blind date with a stranger.

 

or he could be a man already in love with someone else.

 

 

* * *

 

 

_date_ _three_

 

so according to youngjae, bambam’s second set-up for jaebum hyung had been a fail as well.

 

then again, youngjae didn’t have to go and call him a dirty liar. it was totally dishonouring him, and dishonouring his cow.

 

besides, he hadn’t lied at all, he swore! if jaebum wasn’t the sexiest being youngjae had ever laid eyes on then youngjae had to be blind! and jaebum’s singing voice was smooth enough to melt the toughest of hearts. youngjae just didn’t have the taste to appreciate a fine species like im jaebum.

 

and if jaebum seemed unenthusiastic on the date, then that’s youngjae’s fault, wasn’t it? youngjae should’ve engaged him more at the theatre! youngjae should’ve protected him when some asshole spilled coffee on him! jaebum may hate social gatherings, but movie nights and pillow fights in their apartment were always fun. jaebum was also enthusiastic with bambam.

 

but fine. maybe jaebum was just tired that day. maybe he needed someone with enough energy to make up for two.

 

maybe someone like jackson wang.

 

jackson wang was a man overflowing with energy, always bouncing, always ready to move. in his down time he took up martial arts tricking, and wouldn’t hesitate to show it off to whoever asked (and whoever didn’t). with someone like jackson, jaebum’s energy would surely go up too.

 

besides, third time’s the charm, right?

 

—

 

when bambam said jackson was an energetic man, he was making a huge understatement.

 

jackson was more than just energetic. he was also loud, and friendly, and really really touchy.

 

case in point: jaebum was currently linking arms with the man when they’d barely met just twenty minutes ago.

 

they were at an amusement park, as per jackson’s special request, with jackson relentlessly tugging on his arm as he scoured the place in search of the largest stuffed toy they offered.

 

“oh my god, jaebum look!” jackson gasped and pointed to a stall, and it was totally alright that he forgot the honorary “hyung”. no, the 3 month age gap between them meant absolutely nothing!

 

lo and behold, there was the fluffiest, most humongous teddy bear jaebum had ever laid eyes on, hung proudly in one of the games stalls.

 

“can you win that for me, jaebum?” jackson pleaded, blinking in what jaebum guessed was meant to be puppy eyes. “pretty please? like how a classic gentleman would?”

 

jaebum sighed—because he couldn’t just stand there and let jackson threaten his masculinity, could he?—and approached the stall run by a man who looked like he wanted to die as well.

 

“here are five rings,” the man said in a monotone before jaebum could even say anything, snatching the ten dollars that was in jaebum’s hand and exchanging it for worn-out rings. “you have to throw all of them so the bottles there go right through them in order to win the ultimate prize. good luck.” with that, the man jammed his earbuds back into his ear and slumped into his chair again.

 

“you got this jaebum!” jackson cheered, applauding from behind.

 

jaebum tossed the first ring.

 

which clattered pathetically to the ground.

 

great. ten dollars he’d never get back.

 

jaebum haphazardly threw the rest of the rings, not really caring nor keeping track if they went in or not. then he turned to jackson and shrugged apologetically. “sorry i couldn’t get it.”

 

“try again, jaebummie? please?”

 

jaebum almost wanted to throw the ring in jackson’s face instead.

 

“give me five more,” he sighed as he turned back to the man running the booth, sliding another ten across the counter.

 

jaebum should have known that jackson was the relentless type, not giving up until he got what he wanted.

 

he ended up spending a whole $50 before he finally got the bear, and even then he still hadn’t gotten all five points. he’d merely noticed the man running the booth dozing off, and took the chance to lie that he’d won the grand prize. mercifully, the man gave it to him.

 

“thank you jaebum!” jackson bounced excitedly, squeezing the bear close to his chest. “i have to post this on my story!” fumbling with the bear, he pulled out his phone from his pocket and snapped a selfie of himself with the bear, with barely half of jaebum’s face in the picture.

 

he wasn’t even given time to recover from the emotional trauma of seeing that big of a hole in his wallet before jackson was dragging him off to the roller coaster, marvelling at the sheer height of the first ascension.

 

if jaebum wasn’t going to starve to death from the lack of money he had, then he was going to fall off that roller coaster and die.

 

jaebum wasn’t even sure where jackson left his gigantic bear. all he knew was one moment they were safely on the ground, and the next he was being strapped into some death mechanism that would eject him right into the air.

 

his perfect date wouldn’t do this to him. his perfect date would be happy just cuddling with him in front of the television, marathoning glee. he’d be happy to have pillow fights, and do each other’s makeup, and—

 

and he was being shot forward at a speed he never though imaginable.

 

suddenly all thought of how domestic his perfect seemed to be, and how awfully familiar the scenarios were were flung straight out if his head and all he could think of was i’m going to die, i’m going to die imgoingtodie!

 

next to him, jackson screeched and absently grasped onto his hand with inhumane strength, and when jaebum snuck a peek jackson’s face was as white as a ghost.

 

“jaebum!” he wailed, impossibly tightening his grip. “jaebum!”

 

the coaster reached its peak, slowing as the train slowly tipped forward, forward, forward...

 

creak

 

and then it stopped.

 

the train stopped, teetering precariously at the top of the ride, and jaebum felt like he was already plummeting to his doom even though he wasn’t moving at all.

 

“fuck, jaebum, we’re going to die!” jackson sobbed, practically clinging onto jaebum like a koala at this point. “jaebum i just want to say i love my parents very much, and my brother, and all of my very close friends. i’ll miss them, and i’ll miss you, and oh my god i’m going to die!”

 

jaebum, despite his fears, would rather fling himself out of that roller coaster train more than anything at that very moment.

 

—

 

**markiepooh** : JACK

 

**markiepooh** : JACK

 

**markiepooh** : JACKSON

 

**markiepooh** : JACKSON WANG

 

**me** : what bitch

 

**markiepooh** : JACKSON WANG CHEKC UR GODDAMN PHONR

 

**markiepooh** : OK GOOD

 

**markiepooh** : I SAW UR STORY U HOE

 

**markiepooh** : WERE U ON A DATE WITH JAEBUM??????

 

**me** : uhhhh yeah? why?

 

**markiepooh** : OKAY BITCH GIMME A MOMENT

 

 

 

**jbs** **a** **loser**

 

**markiepooh** : alright whats up yall

 

**_unknown_** _**number**_ : hi mark hyung!! hi jackson hyung!!

 

**me** : wtf is that grp chat name

 

**me** : ok but i mean ur not wrong lmao

 

**me** : hi uhhh i dont think i know u

 

**_unknown_** **_number_** : i’m youngjae!! i was set up with jaebum hyung last week too

 

**markiepooh** : ye this is a gc of all dates jbs gone and fucked up

 

**markiepooh** : *dates set up by bambam

 

**me** : he didn’t fuck up my date >:(

 

**markiepooh** : lmao u dont have to try jackson we know he’s a wreck and a disappointment

 

**me** : :(

 

**_unknown_** **_number_** : mark hyung thats a little harsh....

 

**markiepooh** : SO

 

**markiepooh** : youngjae and i were brainstorming

 

**markiepooh** : and we were like...bam seems to think jaebum is like The Perfect Dude but when we actually meet him hes like a mess and just super uninterested

 

**markiepooh** : meaning jaebums actually probably a nice caring funny etc etc dude with bam

 

**markiepooh** : meaning

 

**me** : OH

 

**me** : OH

 

**me** : OHHHHHHHH

 

**me** : MEANING THIS HAS OFFICIALLY BECOME PROJECT JAEBAM!!!!!!!!

 

 

* * *

 

 

_date_ _four_

 

when jaebum burst through the door of their shared apartment grumbling about the worst date of his life, bambam couldn’t believe it.

 

a date with jackson? the worst date of his life? there was no way. jackson was the life of the party no matter where he went. jackson was a social butterfly; everyone loved jackson.

 

jaebum didn’t even tell him how the date went before he was already storming into his room, saying something about a “much needed nap” and slamming the door shut.

 

alright. maybe jackson’s energy was too much for jaebum to handle. maybe he needed someone more mature. someone who was soothing to be around, someone whom jaebum could just sit and read together for hours.

 

someone like park jinyoung.

 

god, bambam hoped this would work.

 

—

 

jaebum felt his stomach sink in dread when he got off the bus in front of a bookstore.

 

a bookstore date? really bambam?

 

it wasn’t that jaebum hated books—no, he loved them much more than the average college kid. he’d love nothing more than to snuggle up under his blanket with a good read.

 

but a bookstore date?

 

that was totally different. only pompous assholes would go on bookstore dates, everyone knew that. the guy bambam set him up with was probably some literature major, or something. ugh

 

with a roll of his eyes, jaebum pushed open the door, and the wind-chime the bookstore had hung right in front of tinkled merrily.

 

they had a wind-chime!

 

just a little distance away from the door stood a man with perfectly coiffed pitch black hair, wearing a shirt and a pair of slacks, already deeply immersed in a book.

 

sucking in his breath, jaebum approached the man. “hi, uh, you’re jinyoung, right?”

 

there was a flash of surprise on his face as he looked up from his book, but it melted into a grin as soon as he made eye contact with jaebum. “yeah. jaebum, right?”

 

“that’s me,” jaebum forced a smile back, extending a hand out. “its nice to meet you.”

 

jinyoung took it and gently shakes his hand. “so, um, what are we going to do here?”

 

jaebum cocked an eyebrow. “i thought you knew? did you not plan this date?”

 

jinyoung scoffed. “are you kidding? only pompous assholes go on bookstore dates. if i wanted to read, i’d do it at home alone. i thought you wanted—oh wait.” he cut himself short with the realisation of what his words implied, eyes widening. “sorry, i didn’t mean you’re a pompous asshole, i—“

 

jaebum let out a bark of laughter, cutting jinyoung’s words short. “it’s fine. i actually feel the same way.”

 

jinyoung narrowed his eyebrows. “so you thought i was an asshole?”

 

“yeah,” jaebum deadpanned.

 

silence engulfed them as they stare into each other’s eyes, tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. and then—

 

they burst out into boisterous laughter, jaebum throwing his head back and jinyoung’s eyes crinkling. they stand like this for a while, clutching their stomachs as they ache from the guffaws that they can’t seem to stop, because as they begin to sober up they take one look at each other and burst into fresh giggles all over again.

 

jaebum felt like they’d laughed for forever, and he’d probably gotten a full six-pack by now, but they’re eventually chased out of the bookstore by the manager for being too noisy.

 

“honestly?” jaebum began as they finally, finally stop laughing, standing outside the bookstore. “this is the first date bambam’s set me up on that i actually had fun. even if we just stood in a bookstore and laughed.”

 

“really? then i’m honoured,” jinyoung beamed.

 

“you wanna go get lunch? i know a place that serves good samgyeopsal not too far from here,” jaebum offered.

 

“i thought you’d never ask.”

 

—

 

jinyoung liked to pride himself in people-reading.

 

you know, telling what a person was like at first glance. knowing all about their personality through the way they hold themselves, the way they introduced themselves, et cetera et cetera.

 

when he first heard of jaebum, he thought he had his personality in the bag. big, arrogant douchebag, probably runs some aesthetic photography blog with cheesy captions.

 

because a bookstore date? that was a _choice_.

 

but jaebum completely threw him off his game, and made him realise that he shouldn’t have judged that book by its cover.

 

jaebum was one of the most laidback guys he’d ever met, absolutely down for anything and everything. he shared the same views with jinyoung on many things, and had the same taste. not to mention he really knew his food.

 

and dare jinyoung say it?

 

maybe he’d found his soulmate.

 

okay, platonic soulmate. because there just wasn’t any spark between him and jaebum when they’d bonded over lunch, literary masterpieces, and music tastes. the sort of connection they’d forged over their short date was one of friendship than anything else.

 

that, and jaebum said “can’t wait to have another date as friends” towards the end of the joke. very specifically. like he wanted to make it clear they were strictly friends only.

 

or he wanted to make it clear he already had feelings for someone else.

 

jinyoung chuckled to himself as he unlocked his front door, when his phone pinged for the first time.

 

then again. and again. and again.

 

frowning, he unlocked his phone to see which uncultured swine could possibly be spamming him.

 

**project** **jaebam**

 

**_unknown_** **_number_** : is he in yet

 

**_unknown_** **_number_** : youngjae. babe. did u add him yet.

 

**youngjae** **< 3**: omg yes hyung i did he’s in the chat now!!!

 

**youngjae** **< 3**: hi jinyoung hyung!!!!

 

**_unknown_** **_number_** : hi

 

**_unknown_** **_number_** : omg hi!!!!

 

**me** : hi youngjae!!

 

**me** : hi everyone

 

**me** : what’s this?

 

**_unknown_** **_number_** : dude its literally in the gc name

 

**me** : wait who are you

 

**_unknown_** **_number_** : i’m mark lmao im youngjae’s bf

 

**me** : hold up

 

**me** : bf like boyfriend????

 

**youngjae _< 3_**: yea hyung!!!

 

**me** : um

 

**me** : youngjae what the fuck

 

**me** : why didn’t you tell me????????

 

**mark** : its a long story BUT unimportant rn

 

**mark** : jack introduce yourself

 

**_unknown_** **_number_** : hi im jackson!!

 

**me** : hi jackson

 

**me** : youngjae u better tell me that story next time i see u

 

**me** : so why am i in this group chat?? also what is jaebam

 

**jackson** : jaebum and bambam duh

 

**mark** : bc ur jb’s date number 4.

 

**mark** : and i’d like to add that im date number 1

 

**mark** : like

 

**mark** : The Alpha Date

 

**youngjae** : omg shut up mark hyung

 

**mark** : sorry bb :(

 

**youngjae** : basically we’re all the people that bambam has set up to go on dates with jaebum hyung except he’s been screwing them up so bad bc he’s in love with bambam so we’re going to matchmake them instead!

 

**youngjae** : :D

 

**me** : oh

 

**me** : cool im totally on board

 

**jackson** : YAY

 

**jackson** : except we kinda have no idea how to do this and we heard ur like a genius so we need ur help

 

**me** : oh thanks. i guess.

 

**me** : also dw. i already have a plan :)

 

 

* * *

 

 

_date_ _five_

 

how the fuck does every date jaebum goes on fail catastrophically? what was jaebum doing?

 

bambam was currently lounging on mark’s couch, reconsidering all his life’s decision. well, maybe that was an exaggeration—more like he was squished into the corner while mark and youngjae sprawled out leisurely.

 

he wasn’t even sure how mark and youngjae started dating. he only knew it happened after he set them both up with jaebum. so it just begged the question of how?

 

“how are the blind dates for jaebum hyung going, bambam?” youngjae asked, his head rested on mark’s lap.

 

“bad. i think. none of them have been successful. look at both of you,” bambam pouted. “hell, youngjae hyung, you were complaining about him after your date.”

 

youngjae shrugged. “i think he’s pretty cute now though. he seems hilarious.”

 

“yeah, but it doesn’t change the fact you’re dating mark hyung. jaebum practically hates jackson hyung and friendzoned jinyoung hyung!” bambam replied exasperatedly. “who else can i set him up with?”

 

“yugyeom?” mark said absently, hand ruffling through youngjae’s hair.

 

“i might as well!” bambam exclaimed. “fuck, i’ll just set him up with yugyeom! it’s not like this five dates for love thing is ever going to work!”

 

and when mark and youngjae shared a fleeting glance, smiles spreading across their faces, bambam was none the wiser.

 

—

 

“yugyeom?” jaebum shrilled.

 

“yes, yugyeom,” bambam answered patiently.

 

“like, your best friend yugyeom? kim yugyeom?”

 

“yes, how many yugyeoms do you know, hyung?” bambam rolled his eyes.

 

“it’s going to be awkward bam! yugyeom pops by so often he’s practically my little brother! you could have set me up with literally anyone but him!”

 

the doorbell rings.

 

“and look, yugyeom’s here!” bambam said, hurrying to open the door and push jaebum out. “have fun on your date, guys! see you later, jaebum hyung!”

 

and then slammed the door in jaebum’s face.

 

“um. hi hyung,” yugyeom greeted, almost shyly.

 

jaebum sighed, turning to face the younger. “hi yugyeom. i guess we’re stuck with each other today huh?”

 

yugyeom slapped his arm, looking affronted. “you make it sound like that’s a bad thing! i’ll have you know i’m a delight to be around!”

 

“sure,” jaebum replied appeasingly. “so, where are we going?”

 

“a dance studio, apparently. bambam booked it out for us for like three hours.”

 

jaebum’s eyebrows furrowed. “so we’re supposed to dance for three hours straight?”

 

“i guess?” yugyeom shrugged, beginning to walk towards the elevator. “we’ll see how it goes.”

 

the dance studio bambam booked was a ten minute walk from their apartment, so jaebum and yugyeom arrived in no time. they stretched lazily for a bit before yugyeom put some music on and began freestyling. they spend the first hour grooving off each other and teaching each other dance moves until they collapse onto the floor in exhaustion and simply lie next to each other.

 

jaebum inhaled deeply, then exhaled. “i still can’t believe bambam set me up with you.”

 

yugyeom let out a bark of laughter. “and what’s wrong with me?”

 

“you know there’s nothing wrong with you, yugyeom, it’s just—is he blind or something?” jaebum said exasperatedly.

 

“i’m pretty sure he is. he’s like, the biggest idiot ever,” yugyeom chuckled.

 

“i know right?” jaebum sat up, agitated. “why did he even set me up on those five dates? did you know i’ve been purposely screwing them up? there’s no way i could have clicked romantically with any of the previous four, let alone you, yugyeom!”

 

yugyeom just smiled, sitting up to face jaebum. “i know, hyung.”

 

“can he not tell? i’m literally the least conspicuous person on the planet. i have movie nights with him and pillow fights even though i’d prefer to sleep on my pillow than anything else. like, i bend over backwards for him and he thinks i’m what—a really good roommate? a really lonely roommate?”

 

“yeah, he’s stupid,” yugyeom nodded, putting a hand on jaebum’s shoulder to rub soothingly.

 

“i’m so fucking in love with him, god damn it!” jaebum’s straight out shouting at this point, and yugyeom does nothing to stop him. “i’m so in love and he’s such an idiot! why do i like such an idiot?”

 

“i wonder the same thing, hyung,” yugyeom said, pulling jaebum in for a hug. “i wonder the same thing.”

 

—

 

**project** **jaebam**

 

**idiot** **mark** : aight wassup yugyeom

 

**idiot** **mark** : thats all five of us

 

**jackson** **hyung** : yo

 

**mr** **jyp** : omg kim yugyeom??

 

**genius** **youngjae** : hi yugyeommie!!

 

**me** : uhhhh hi everyone???

 

**me** : ya jinyoung its me :)))

**mr** **jyp** : its jinyoung hyung :(

 

**me** : mark hyung what did u mean by all five of us

 

**me** : what is this

 

**idiot** **mark** : meaning all five of jaebum’s dates that bambam set up

 

**jackson** **hyung** : aka bambam and jaebums matchmakers

 

**me** : :00000000

 

**youngjae** : how was your date with him yugyeommie?

 

**me** : HA

 

**me** : YALL ARE GONNA GET A KICK OUT OF THIS

 

**me** : HE BASICALLY RANTED ABOUT HOW FUCKING BLIND BAM IS AND HE WAS ALL “WHY AM I IN LOVE WITH SUCH AN IDIOT? BOO FUCKING HOO”

 

**idiot** **mark** : LMAO

 

**mr** **jyp** : omg jaebum’s aware of his own feelings

 

**me** : ofc he is jinyoung he’s known for forever

 

**me** : but bambam on the other hand is a big fat loser whos oblivious as hell

 

**jackson** **hyung** : does that mean we gotta change our original plan?

 

**mr** **jyp** : yeah

 

**mr** **jyp** : this changes everything

 

**mr** **jyp** : i gotta make a few changes to the plan

 

**me** : what plan

 

**genius** **youngjae** : we have a lot of explaining to do

 

**genius** **youngjae** : so

 

* * *

 

 

_true_ _love_

 

“yugyeom, help me get these beanbags up there!” jinyoung yelled, tugging a beanbag fruitlessly as he tried to pull it up a flight of stairs.

 

“coming, hyung,” yugyeom called out from the top of the flight, and jumped down two steps at a time and lifted the beanbag with jinyoung. “i’ve got the lights up already, but we have to hurry because jaebum hyung’s going to be here soon.”

 

it took a while, but the two eventually managed to get the beanbags up the stairs to the top of the building, where jinyoung sighed.

 

“it looks beautiful, yugyeom. i hope this works out.”

 

“it will, hyung,” yugyeom smiled at jinyoung. “i believe it will.”

 

—

 

jaebum’s armed with a bouquet of roses and a bag of rose petals, flanked by mark and youngjae as they escort him to wherever he’s supposed to be.

 

“i assure you, it’s going to be super romantic. unbeatably romantic. bambam’s going to melt right at your feet,” mark patted him on the back.

 

“i’m scared,” is all jaebum can reply.

 

“you shouldn’t be, hyung,” youngjae reassured. “as soon as bambam sees whatever you’re about to do, he’s going to realise all his feelings for you, and you’re going to live happily ever!”

 

“and if we’ve misread everything?” jaebum frowned. “what if he doesn’t actually like me?”

 

“he does,” marks said confidently. “trust us.”

 

jaebum took a deep breath. “i do. and i hope you’re right.”

 

—

 

“where are we going, jackson hyung?” bambam demanded, trying to resist as jackson forcefully tugged him down the street.

 

“you’ll find out bam,” jackson said dismissively. “just follow me, i swear you’ll like it.”

 

“fine,” bambam replied, resigning to his fate. they walk in silence for a bit, until bambam realised they were slowly beginning to enter a much more deserted part of the city.

 

“jackson, you’re not going to murder me, are you?”

 

“relax bam, i’m not!” jackson replied cheerfully.

 

uneasy, bambam slowed his steps just a fraction as he began to be surrounded by unfamiliar, old building, until he’s dragged up to an abandoned building, paint already peeling, barely standing at three storeys tall.

 

“i genuinely think i’m about to die,” bambam said, concerned.

 

jackson waved him off. “you’re being dramatic. come on, we gotta go up!”

 

yeah, jackson was probably going to push him off the roof or something.

 

by now, the sun had begun to set, so it would be the perfect time to commit a crime, right?

 

still, he allowed himself to be led up the stairs, heart pounding against his ribcage and prayed for the best.

 

“here you are,” jackson announced as they reached the roof level. “have fun!”

 

jackson pushed open the door, and—

 

it’s breathtaking.

 

the setting sun paints the sky in pastel hues of oranges and pinks and purples, and the clouds that drift by lazily were reminiscent of cotton candy. the gorgeous backdrop sets the base for the twinkling fairy lights draped around the rooftop, cushions and beanbags piled into a corner and rose petals sprinkled all over the ground.

 

and in the middle was jaebum, in his favourite hoodie and jeans, bouquet of roses in one hand and a sheepish smile on his face.

 

“hi bam,” jaebum said shyly, and that’s all it takes to break bambam out of his reverie.

 

“what are you doing, jaebum hyung?” he asked, breath catching in his throat.

 

“isn’t it obvious, bam?” jaebum asked, taking a step towards him. “hasn’t everything i’ve been doing been obvious?”

 

bambam felt constricted, felt like his lungs were squeezing in on itself, felt like his heart was going to beat out of his mouth. “i-i don’t quite follow.”

 

and yet, and the same time, perhaps he did. perhaps he knew as soon as he stepped on that roof what was about to happen, knew since the minute he laid eyes on jaebum that he was falling, and there was no going back.

 

jaebum got down on one knee.

 

“i like you bam,” he whispered, offering the bouquet to bambam, smile stupidly broad and eyes stupidly happy. “i like you so, so much, ever since we became roommates. because you’re so funny, and caring, and honest, and there are so many more words i can use to describe you but i can’t right now because you just look so pretty.”

 

bambam stopped breathing.

 

“i’ve been screwing up your stupid blind dates on purpose because i didn’t want to be with any of the guys you set me up with, i want to be with you, bam. i’m sorry it took me so long to say this, but—“

 

oh god. oh god, oh god, oh god.

 

“will you be my boyfriend, bammie?”

 

and bambam choked, unshed tears finally spilling out from his eyes, staring oh so hopelessly in love with the man pouring his soul in front of him.

 

because that’s what he was—in love. he was in love with jaebum, in love with his fashion sense and his love for music and every little idiosyncrasy he had. perhaps he knew it all along, but it took him all this time to finally realise it.

 

“yes,” bambam sobbed, taking the bouquet from jaebum’s hands and pulling the latter up. “yes, i’ll be your boyfriend, jaebum hyung!”

 

jaebum couldn’t help the happy chuckle that escaped him as he swept bambam into his arms. “thank you,” he whispered.

 

and then jaebum was pulling bambam in, pressing his lips onto bambam’s into a sweet kiss. they both melt into the kiss, lips moving in harmony, just like how the world melted away from them, and it was just jaebum and bambam, bambam and jaebum.

 

a holler from behind them made them jump apart, bambam still clutching onto his bouquet as if it were his lifeline. and as he turned, he saw the five men he’d set jaebum up with clapping and cheering with the biggest smiles on their faces.

 

“did you guys plan this?” bambam asked through a watery laugh. “were all five of you in on it?”

 

he received a resounding yes, and couldn’t help the bubbles of laughter that escaped his lips.

 

“you’re the best, jaebum hyung,” bambam giggled, and threw the bouquet onto the ground so he could close the distance between them once more. “you’re seriously the best.”

 

and as their lips meet once more, one time out of the millions more they would have, bambam realised one thing.

 

jaebum didn’t need five dates to find true love, and neither did he.

 

they’d had each other all along.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> me: im gonna make the markjae super subtle. like, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it subtle  
> also me: 
> 
> hi tremmy!! i hope you enjoyed this fic that went way longer than i expected it too :D 
> 
> a lot of things went in completely different directions too, but i hope i did your prompt justice bc it was such a cute idea!!! i took a few liberties on my own bc got5 as jaebam’s wingmen are everything i needed in my life and more. 
> 
> i have another fic coming up hopefully very soon bc im nearly done with that, so keep a look out for that! in the meantime, please leave kudos and comments if you enjoyed this? 
> 
> (prompt:  
> BamBam sets Jaebum up on a blind date with practically EVERYONE (GOT5 mayhaps), not knowing the reason why Jaebum won't click with any of them romantically is because he's in love with BamBam)


End file.
